Altai is a land generously endowed by nature. Every traveler will find something of his own here: a water manager - rivers, an archaeologist - ancient sites and caves, parents with children - comfort and safety, a gourmet - delicious dishes. Altai Territory is very large and varied. So, 10 reasons.

1.View unique objects and take unique photographs.In the Altai Territory, there are rare tourist sites created by man and nature at the same time. One of them -Denisova cave, which glorified the region all over the world with rare finds. Thousands of years ago, ancient people chose the Altai foothills as their home and settled here. It was in Denisova cave thatfound the remains of a previously unknown species of people - Homo sapiens altaiensis -Altai man, but in another way Denisov, who became one of the ancestors of modern man.

2.Visit the wintering grounds of swans... In the Sovetsky District of the Altai Territory, there is one of the two "swan" reserves in Russia. Every year at the end of autumn for warmnon-freezing lakesWhooper swans arrive. In Altai, tourists can observe beautiful white swans in their natural habitat - the reserve is open to the public.

3.See the country of Belovodye... The confluence of Biya and Katun, the source of the great Ob River, is also located in the Altai Territory. This place was considered sacred by many local tribes, a philosopher and artist wrote about itNicholas Roerichas a sacred point where the final battle of Good and Evil will take place and the fate of human civilization will be decided. Roerich called AltaiБеловодьем.

4... Have fun at the massive celebrations.Holidays are held in the Altai Territory all year round, which attract thousands of tourists from different regions of Russia and from abroad. At the end of winter, they celebrate the Siberian Maslenitsa, in May they open the summer tourist season with a holiday"Blooming maralnik": in early spring, the slopes of the Altai mountains are strewn with a pale pink color - this is the blooming maral, which inspired the inhabitants of the region to a big and beautiful holiday.

5.Visit the homeland of the great writer, director, actor - Vasily Shukshin.Altai -home of famous writers and poets, many literary readings are held here, one of which has grown into a major all-Russian festival - the Shukshin Days in Altai. The winter tourist season is opened with a big holiday dedicated to the arrival of swans - "Altai wintering".

6.Taste delicious food.Nature, culinary traditions, hospitality are the three pillars of local gastronomic tourism. You can try local products both on a regular trip and on rural, regional, city holidays, of which there are a lot in the region. Famous far beyond the borders of the region "Cheese holiday", "AltaiFest", and gaining popularity "Honey holiday", rural festivals and days of honey and apple salvation, the festival "Altai hospitality". “There is food in Altai that does not cause any doubts or rejection. Ecology, cleanliness, the whole of Europe is chasing this "- said the host of the program"Ide against food"Victor Goncharenko. He traveled around the Altai Territory, cooked maral meat, whipped butter, ate cheese, drank honey and recommended everyone to come to the Altai Territory. Presenter"Let's go, let's eat!"I was also with the NTV film crew in Altai.

7.Improve health in sanatoriums... In the Altai Territory, there is a federal resort city, famous for its sanatoriums -Белокуриха... Thousands of Russian and foreign tourists come here to improve their health. The first thing for which you should choose the Altai Territory is the air. Wherever you are - on salt lakes, in the foothills, in the forest - everywhere your breath will be full and light. There are 38 large sanatoriums in the Altai Territory. No other region from the Urals to the Far East has such a number.

8.Take a dipin warmsalt lakes... Water - springs, rivers, lakes - the wealth of the Altai Territory and great opportunities for health improvement. In the Kulunda steppe, which is one of the largest saline regions of the country, there are a large number of internal drainage mineralized lakes. Many of them contain bottom sediments of salts or their industrial concentration in brine. There are 35 healing springs and springs in the Altai Territory. The Belokurikhinskoe, Iskrovskoe, Chernovskoe deposits of mineral radon-containing waters are known and used in the treatment and rehabilitation; Zavyalovskie sources; Bekhtemir deposit of mineral silver-containing medicinal waters.

9.Touch the real nature... Altai Territory combines comfort for tourists and untouched wilderness. Here, near the tourist centers, sanatoriums, guest houses, there are plains, foothills - unique wild corners of nature.

Altai herbs make local honey unique. It tastes different from the honey of central Russia. The composition of the soil, the climate, the variety of vegetation - all these are the components of a special taste and benefit. Herbs are the basis of unique varieties of cheeses, herbs are raw materials for tasty and healthy drinks.

10.Meet interesting people.Everyone who has been to the Altai Territory celebrates the cordiality and hospitality of local residents.

Information prepared by Zhanna Mikhienko

Photo by Anton Agarkov, Alexey Zyryanov, Evgenia Smolyakova, Valery Stepanyuk, Vera Salnitskaya